Educational Game - Flaschards Games
Here are some activities and games that you can try with your child. If your child is at the very early stages of learning to read you may want to just use the picture cards and slowly introduce the word cards little by little.
• Snap!
You will need two copies of each picture flashcard, or you could use the picture cards and the word card for children who can read. You could also use two or three sets mixed together. Shuffle the cards and deal them out to all the players. Take it in turns to turn over a card, the player should say what is on the card and then place it in the middle of the table. If a player turns up a card which is the same as the previous one, the first player to shout ‘Snap!’ wins all the cards in the pile. Players are out of the game when they have no cards left. The winner is the player who has all the cards.
• Memory
You will need either two sets of picture cards for children who can’t yet read or sets of picture cards and word cards for children who can read to play this game. Place the cards face down on the table. In turn each player turns up two cards and says what they are. If they turn up a matching pair (either two identical picture cards or a picture card with its corresponding word card) they keep them and have another turn. If the cards are different they turn them back over, leaving them in the same place on the table, and the next player has a go. The player with the most pairs is the winner.
• Bingo
Use the sets of flashcards to play bingo with your child. Draw a 3 x 2 table and ask your child to draw or write six items from the set in the squares. You should do the same so you can compete against your child. Place the set of flashcards in an envelope and take turns to choose a flashcard. As you choose them, say the item on the card. You can make this fun by using a silly bingo voice! The first player to cross out all the items on their bingo card calls ‘bingo!’ and is the winner.
• Memory Tester / Kim’s Game
Place a selection of flash cards on the floor. Give your child or children one minute to try and memorise all the cards, then they turn away or you can cover the cards and see how many they can remember. If you have more than one child they could compete with their sibling, or you could take part too and you can have a little competition with your child. Alternatively, cover all the flashcards with a cloth and then remove one. Your child has to work out which one you have removed. You could either time your child to do this, so it’s a race against the clock or if you have more than one child they can race against one another.
• Invisible Flashcards
Lay 9 picture cards on a big piece of paper and draw a grid around them. Use a pen or your finger to point to the cards in turn. As you point your child should say the English word for the picture on each card. Gradually remove the picture cards but continue to point to the grid where the flash card was. When the first card is removed and you point to the blank space, nod your head to encourage your child to say the word of the removed flash card. Students should remember and continue as if the cards were still there. Your child will probably be amazed that they can remember the pictures, even when they’re not there! Then you can put the flash cards back in the right place on the grid, asking your child to shout STOP when you hold the picture card over its correct place on the grid. This activity highlights the impact of visual aids. It really proves that the images can 'stick' in children’s minds.
• Reveal the word
Cover the picture card or word card with a piece of card and slowly reveal it. Get your child to guess which one it is. Alternatively, flip the card over very quickly so the children just get a quick glimpse. Repeat until they have guessed the word.
• Point or race to the flash cards
Stick flash cards around a room in your home. Say one of them and ask your child or children to point or race to it. Your child could then give instructions to you or to his siblings. You can extend this by saying "hop to the cat" or even "if you’re wearing a green T-shirt, swim to the fish" etc.
• Fast Finger
Stick flash cards on a wall or lay them out on the floor in a line. Give a clue to indicate which flash card you are thinking of or if you are working with a set of words that are new to your child you can give the whole word, e.g."Say stop when the fast finger is above the cat". When revising familiar words just give a clue, e.g. "It's an animal that can't fly, but it can climb trees." Your child should shout STOP when your finger is above the required flash card. Then bounce your finger along in a random fashion to a silly tune until they shout STOP at the right time. When they get the idea, ask your child to be the Fast Finger and you shout STOP at the right point.
• Hide and Seek
When you have played several games with your child and they are familiar with the language you could hide a selection of flashcards around the house or even in your child’s lunchbox, school bag or inside their wardrobe, cupboard or shoes! Remember to ask your child what they’ve found and where they were. Your child may enjoy hiding the flashcards for you too. If you want to guide your child towards the flashcards you could use the common system for giving clues, ‘you’re cold (very far away), warmer (getting closer), hot (close) etc.’
• Story maker
Use the flashcards from a selection of topic sets that your child is familiar with. Lay them out on a table. Select cards one by one as you invent a story. Incorporate the items on the cards into your story. If your child is able to join in, you could take it in turns to add the next part of the story. If your child isn’t able to do this, you can tell them the story and hold up the card as you talk about it. Then, your child could draw a picture from the story or older children could even make a comic strip of the story you have created together.
These are just some suggestions of how you can start using the flashcards with your child. You will probably find that the more you use the flashcards the more uses you will find for them. Your child may also make up new games you can play together using the flashcards. If your child likes drawing, you could also make your own sets of flashcards together, including your child’s favourite things, or make flashcards by cutting out pictures from magazines or catalogues.
|
